


The Benefits of a Mischief of Rats

by The_Dancing_Walrus



Category: DCU, The Flash (Comics)
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Pied Piper - Freeform, Rats, The Rogues - Freeform, bad day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-24
Updated: 2013-04-24
Packaged: 2017-12-09 10:30:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/773168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Dancing_Walrus/pseuds/The_Dancing_Walrus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rats are like dogs, just smaller.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Benefits of a Mischief of Rats

**Author's Note:**

> What can I say? I really like rats.

Rats are like dogs, just smaller.

 

No one ever seems to believe him when he says that but it’s true. And everyone ends up coming to their own conclusions about why he keeps them because it couldn’t possibly be for pleasure-

 

Digger had thought it was a poor attempt at being threatening, scary.

 

Mardon had thought it was for completeness sake, living up to his name.

 

Roy had just figured he was a weirdo and God alone knew what Cold thought.

 

But they are just like dogs in every way that’s important.

 

They greet him when he comes home after a job, rushing in a mad flow of fur to the bars and chattering happily when he opens the cages to let them out.

 

They chew the furniture.

 

They each respond to their names and he trained them a little. He showed Tricks once, when Nina (who had been very bright) had mastered a rope trick, but JJ had assumed he’d been hypnotising her-

 

He doesn’t think they understand every word he says, mostly because he doesn’t really talk to them. Talking to rats would be crazy-

 

But they do understand his body language, his moods. They understand that on the days he comes in with a whistle and a smile they can get away with anything short of destroying his instruments. They understand that on the days he comes back teetering and reeking of cheap wine they need to be careful not to get underfoot. They understand that when he comes back with someone else they won’t get let out at all.

 

They understand when he comes in with a heavy sigh, drops his instruments on the kitchen table and damn near throws his hat across the room. And they hang back while he curses, even though he’s sure they have no idea what he’s cursing about.

 

When the anger drains out of him and he sits down heavily, putting his head in his hands they cluster round the bottom of the chair.

 

Rats are like dogs, just smaller.

 

Which means that when you’re upset more of them can fit in your lap.


End file.
